He was Interstate Paper in Liberty County

William J. "Bill" Verross was remembered Monday as the face of Riceboro's Interstate Paper Corp. in Liberty County.

"He was Mr. Interstate Paper. He was the Erk Russell of Interstate Paper," said T. Lamar Owens, who went to work at the company three months before the mill began operations in 1968.

Verross, who oversaw Interstate Paper Corp.'s $25 million kraft linerboard mill from its earliest stages, died at Liberty Regional Medical Center in Hinesville on Sunday.

He was 85.

In addition to his corporate roles, Verross was active in civic affairs.

He was chairman of the Liberty County Hospital Authority for 12 years and led a $1.3 million hospital expansion.

He was a past president of Liberty County Chamber of Commerce and later served as chairman of the Liberty County Industrial Authority.

But it was his management style that stood out among those who worked with him.

"I have never worked with anyone who was as good a manager as he was," Owens said. "He was the best I have ever seen at getting the most out of his people."

As administration manager, Owens reported directly to Verross from 1975 until Verross' retirement in March 1981.

Verross' strength was at organizing and letting everyone know what was expected of them, Owens said.

Another longtime associate, Tommy Williams, said Verross "believed in the chain of command system" and was "a man who stuck to his guns.

"When he said it, he meant it."

Williams, a buyer/stores supervisor, went to work at Interstate in March 1968.

"Even to the owners, he told them, 'I run this mill and this is the way I am going to run it.' ... . He had total control," said Williams, now a junior bishop of the Junior Church of Christ who pastors churches in Eulonia and Harris Heck.

"I found him to be a good manager. I thought he was fair to me, I could talk to him."